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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22475659">Fall 'o Ween Diakko</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pines_4_Diakko/pseuds/Pines_4_Diakko'>Pines_4_Diakko</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Little Witch Academia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Real World, F/F, For a Friend, Gift Fic, Halloween, On Hiatus, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Requested fanfiction, Trick or Treating, Wholesome, rated T because I'm an anxious mess</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 11:15:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,452</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22475659</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pines_4_Diakko/pseuds/Pines_4_Diakko</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Halloween has long since been known to be a magical night, but when a certain hyperactive brunette and her friends are involved, simple pranks and too much candy may be the least of their worries...Stormy weather is on the horizon.<br/>~~~<br/>Just a soft, fluffy, wholesome Halloween fanfic, that has been in the works for a few months now.</p><p>Requested by and gifted to my good friend Kymera!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Atsuko "Akko" Kagari &amp; Amanda O'Neill, Atsuko "Akko" Kagari &amp; Sucy Manbavaran &amp; Lotte Yanson, Diana Cavendish &amp; Atsuko "Akko" Kagari, Sucy Manbavaran/Lotte Yanson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Good (?) news!! I'M ALIVE...I'M ALIVE..!!</p><p>I have been working on this, on and off since well before Halloween of last year. LIFE (tm) happened, a huge cross-country move, I started college on Monday, and will only be able to update my stories at an agonizingly slow pace... but for anyone who remembers, and might be interested in the fate of Pros and Con(vention)s, fear not! It will be seeing a return soon enough, but after a major revamp. I just wrote it and I'm already cringing at all the mistakes I've made. (No wonder no one wants to read it...)</p><p>But yeah, with that out of the way, please enjoy this first chapter of Part Two for my Real World AU series!!</p><p>For my little sister, Ky! (I got part of it done..!)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Halloween. Also known as All Hallows Eve, it is a night that many children look forward to, because for just one night out of the year, its socially acceptable to dress up as the super spooky creatures and characters found in myths/legends (tales of days long since passed), as well as more modern stories that are sourced in fictional and non-fictional worlds alike. Truly, it is a night to show off one’s creativity and skill, or for those more pressed for time, money, or energy, a simpler costume purchased from a store or individual (depending on the interests and wealth of the buyer). The true reason for this holiday’s overwhelming popularity, and the goal that every participating child seeks to achieve is a hunt all their own, which often turns into a competition amongst some groups to see who can walk away as the victor with the greatest hoard of treasure during the few hours that the event lasts for. The riches, or gold in a sense, may not be as shiny as coins or jewels or rare crowns from the lost royalty of old, but for most kids, is just as sweet. Which makes sense, given that most of it is made from a combination of sugar, chocolate, and other ingredients like nuts. Yes, candy is the greatest and most valuable treat a kid could dream of. Or, in some cases, those that are young at heart, no matter their biological age.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you sure that you need three pillowcases, Akko? That seems a bit…<em>excessive</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>A concerned voice spoke up from behind the self-appointed group leader, causing her to glance over her shoulder for a brief moment as she locked the front door to her apartment. Scoffing at the idea, she quickly checked that the door was indeed locked before returning her set of keys to a belt loop on her jeans.</p><p> </p><p>“Pfft, please. Why wouldn’t I take extras? Tonight is a special occasion, Lotte, so don’t stress so much over the details and just have fun with it!”</p><p> </p><p>Lotte adjusted her glasses, not looking reassured in the slightest, and was about to launch into a short speech over why inhaling such an unhealthy amount of sugar like that would be a bad idea when her partner shoulder-bumped her to grab her attention.</p><p> </p><p>“She’s made up her mind. And knowing that dummy, she has a specific plan for it all. She was probably up all night figuring out the details, since she actually drank coffee this morning...”</p><p> </p><p>Lotte sighed, knowing what the message really was. And if she had any doubts about it, the smug smirk on the other’s face would have made it dissolve instantly.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Don’t try stop her, because you can’t, and she’s too stupid to listen as it is. Whatever her plan is, it will be entertaining to watch it all fall apart in the end.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>As quickly as the smile appeared, it was gone again. And the usual look of apathy and boredom replaced it. Lotte may not be the most vocal friend, but her partner was equally as quiet…when she behaved herself.</p><p> </p><p>‘Even if you say that, she isn't known for being cautious…'</p><p> </p><p>"Oooohh...I can't wait! Let's go, guys! We have a lot of houses to hit up tonight, and so little time to get through them all!!" Akko cheered, punching a fist into the air with a wide grin on her face.</p><p> </p><p>Sucy quietly snorted at Akko's typical childish attitude, and Lotte sighed and resigned herself to their fate. It was cool, but not entirely cold at that hour. She smoothed out the white, knee-length skirt she was wearing to ease her nerves before they headed out to the long stretch of houses that participated in the night's festivities.</p><p> </p><p>Akko was just shy of skipping ahead of them, a noticeable spring in her step, but she was holding back a lot of her energy to allow her best friends to keep up. After they arrived at the correct neighborhood, across the park near their rented house, Akko's eyes lit up with joy. It was packed at 6:30p, but there were so many different costumes to take in and everyone seemed so happy. Children of all ages were going door-to-door, with annoyed older siblings or tired parents in tow, and a trio of teenagers were skulking around, waiting to prank their friends and neighbors, with typical jump scares and the like (a small yet suspicious group, if their protectiveness over their plastic bags was any indication. Likely the huddle they were engaged in was to discuss potential targets for more messy pranks...one bag at their feet clearly showed the logo from a local grocery store. Lotte was the only one to notice, and frowned disapprovingly at the implied prank involving the egg cartons and toilet paper contained within if anyone passed by closely enough to steal a glance at the contents).</p><p> </p><p>'Such a terrible "prank" to play. They should be ashamed, their behavior is only going to cause the home owners more work and it's not as harmless as they may believe.'</p><p> </p><p>Sucy sent the teenagers in question a dark look, and for some reason they couldn't explain, a cold shudder ran up each of their spines, as a simultaneous feeling of fear and adrenaline - in the form of an invisible hand reaching out, and with dangerously sharp claws, tightly gripped their hearts, squeezing painfully for almost a moment too long - robbed them of breath and even as they all exchanged a glance of pure terror with each other, which clearly screamed one collective thought among them, they suddenly thought better of their plans for the night, quickly exchanging squeaked messages of farewells and a promise to meet up later on, ran away like they were being chased by the one and only Headless Horseman himself.</p><p> </p><p>It was all over in a matter of seconds, the original trio having long since passed by them, but as Sucy fixed her hair, she allowed the ghost of a smile to pass over her lips. She knew that her girlfriend disapproved of such things on this night and all others, but Lotte had yet to become aware of just why no reports of pranks of that nature showed up after the sweetest night of the year came and went by again. This would mark the third year in a row the neighborhood could claim that, but the fact that the three girls had moved in before that first year was just pure coincidence…</p><p> </p><p>Akko was, as per usual, oblivious to any of this and had tunnel vision, making a beeline for the first house on the block. She had previously explained a complicated plan for the night while they all prepared to leave, but Sucy had tuned her out as soon as the opening statement left the brunette's mouth, knowing that any attempts at staying home would only lead to a headache, with Akko insistently asking her high school friend to join them. In past years, the effort had been made, but Sucy learned that it was not actually a one-time request and after the second year in a row, growled and stopped resisting after nearly losing her latest experiments' outcome when Akko leaned over her with a lit candle meant for the jack-o-lantern in the kitchen. (Why Akko was carrying a lit candle was forever a mystery, not that Sucy had enough patience at that point to ask. The one time she showed so much emotion was in her frantic state to save her precious supplies from catching fire and Akko was promptly banned from her room for good).</p><p> </p><p>After zooming from house to house for half an hour, one and a half of the pillowcases had been completely filled. They say that the universe works in mysterious ways, but Akko also seems to have some magical quality to her that made literally no other adult question her when she walked up, rang their doorbells and cheerfully said that nights greeting. Lotte and Sucy stayed on the sidewalk, occasionally making small talk and only a couple times did Lotte have to reprimand her girlfriend for an inappropriate comment about someone's costume. As Akko hummed happily to herself while aiming for the next house on the block, there was a rustling noise in the nearby bushes, followed by a muffled curse. Akko paused, and nearly caused an annoyed Sucy to run into her frozen statue of a pose, caught with her arm mid-swing and one leg still in the air.</p><p> </p><p>"What now?"</p><p> </p><p>Akko made a quick noise and Sucy growled at her in reply. She was about to demand to know if Akko had seriously dared to shush her when Akko dropped her still raised limbs and looked back over her shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>"Did you hear that..?"</p><p> </p><p>Lotte blinked at her friend in mild concern.</p><p> </p><p>"Hear what, Akko..?"</p><p> </p><p>Akko seemingly ignored the question, concentrating on listening intently for the noise again, when without any further notice, she was plowed into from the side and fell to the sidewalk with a grunt. She was groaning in slight pain, having to choose in a split second whether to save her candy stash or her back (the choice was obvious to anyone that knows her). There was a weight resting on top of her that prevented her from sitting up right away, so after clearing the spots from her eyes and looking up, she saw a familiar yet not so familiar newcomer staring down at her intently.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey Akko. Why are you guys heading towards the rich kids neighborhood? Did you hear about the party too?"</p><p> </p><p>"Amanda...did you gain weight?"</p><p> </p><p>Anyone else would have taken offense or would have been insulted by that jab to their pride. But one such Amanda O'Neill had too much pride, and could stand to get knocked down a peg or two. Laughing at the comment, she stood up and offered her college buddy a hand. Once they were both standing, they took in the others' costumes carefully.</p><p> </p><p>Amanda, dressed in all black clothing, complete with black boots and a beanie, could have easily been mistaken for a common thief. But with the addition of a tail, gloves and...were those cat ears on her head? That would explain the face paint, but her green eyes shone with mischief behind a black mask, as she patiently waited for Akko's moment of realization at what her outfit meant.</p><p> </p><p>Akko may have been…erratic and sometimes clumsy, but her friends could count on some things being consistent. For example, Amanda slowly counted down from three to zero before Akko blinked twice and looked as if a figurative light bulb turned on over her head.</p><p> </p><p>"Cat burglar!"</p><p> </p><p>Amanda smirked and offered Akko a fist bump as a reward.</p><p> </p><p>"You know it dude. Halloween might be about stereotypes, which are normally a bad thing to follow and believe in blindly, but they have some truth to them. And I can't disappoint my fans…"</p><p> </p><p>Akko finished the fist bump before dropping the candy stash and struck a serious pose with her hands clasped behind her back. She did her best not to smile, her outfit was trickier to guess...at first glance.</p><p> </p><p>With a utility belt at her waist, complete with a flashlight and her keys, and a short sleeved navy shirt, matching navy pants, black dress shoes and a hat similar to that of a policeman, one might be tempted to call her a security guard. But they would only be halfway correct. Knowing that things aren't always what they first appear to be with the shorter Japanese descendant, Amanda squinted and seemed to intently think it over. And the longer the silence lasted with the rebel pulling such a face, the harder Akko had to fight from laughing and ruining her image.</p><p> </p><p>'Dammit. Even if it looks like a simple security guard's uniform, she is always trying to pull a fast one on me and catch me off guard. She really loves getting reactions from others...think, what is the catch here? Why is she acting so smug and what in the heck could the answer be??'</p><p> </p><p>Akko watched her carefully, waiting for either a guess or a sign of defeat. They often played little games like this over the course of their friendship and Akko giggled when she had let a minute pass by. Amanda snorted, having nothing close to a guess and Akko took her silence and frown as an answer instead.</p><p> </p><p>Removing her hat, it was handed over to the other girl for a close inspection. Resting on the front, hiding in plain sight, the shiny gold badge held the answer.</p><p> </p><p>H. S. P. S. written in bold letters, in front of a picture of a pumpkin. That was it. Amanda raised an eyebrow in both clear confusion and annoyance. She silently glanced back up at Akko for clarification.</p><p> </p><p>"WHAT?? You must have heard of us by now, Amanda!" Akko seemed genuinely hurt by her normally fired up friends' confusion and lack of understanding, "The newest force of hired specialists, sworn to protect and serve a higher calling...the Halloween Spirit Protection Squad!"</p><p> </p><p>A short and ultimately vague pose followed Akko's declaration.</p><p> </p><p>"Our duty is to help spread the fun, the cheer, the absolute happiness and joy of this amazing holiday on the sweetest night of the year to those less fortunate than ourselves and to ensure the excitement and safety of all children we come across in our neighborhoods!"</p><p> </p><p>Amanda just stared, unblinkingly. A single bead of sweat ran down the side of her face as a thought occurred to her.</p><p> </p><p>'Is she for real? The Halloween Spirit...Protection Squad? I don't know what scares me more - the fact that she acts like its real...or that, knowing her, it <strong>could</strong> be.'</p><p> </p><p>Akko grinned widely at Amanda and then giggled.</p><p> </p><p>"So what were you up to? You don't seem like the type to trick-or-treat…oh! Do you want to join the H.S.P.S?! We could use more members and with your skill level, I'm sure you could be a big help if yo--"</p><p> </p><p>Akko started off thoughtfully looking at the sky before shifting her attention back fully to the catgirl in front of her, even leaning forward excitedly and missing the sudden slightly uncomfortable aura that overcame the fiery-haired rebel.</p><p> </p><p>"Th-thanks for the offer, but slow down, you hyperactive goofball. You're bound to knock someone out one day if you're not careful. And no, I was on my way to a party a few streets over, taking the backroad shortcut when…"</p><p> </p><p>Amanda suddenly stopped mid-sentence, as the memory of her tail getting caught on a few thorns in the rose bush came flooding back to her. Coughing awkwardly and ignoring her friends' look of mild confusion, she switched tactics and tried again.</p><p> </p><p>"Actually, that’s not important. The lackeys are throwing an awesome party tonight, but they forgot to invite the V.I.P. of Halloween, so I was on my way to...remind them."</p><p> </p><p>Amanda grinned like the most infamous riddle cat the world has ever known, and with all of her confidence and ego, she failed to remember just who she was talking to during this exchange.</p><p> </p><p>"Jack Skellington?" Sucy rolled her eyes at Akko's guess and felt the need to speak up again.</p><p> </p><p>"No, the Mayor...she obviously meant Pennywi--"</p><p> </p><p>"Girls, don’t fight over it. And she could have even meant Beetlegeu--"</p><p> </p><p>A squabble broke out between the trio, consisting of Akko defending the pumpkin king, Sucy throwing out carefully planned trivia bits of different characters relating to Halloween, and Lotte getting more worked up than usual while simultaneously doing her best to keep the other two in check and not saying a certain character's name three times in a row. All this while, Amanda was getting more and more stressed out by how badly her intended comment had backfired and was close to exploding when she cleared her throat loudly and demanded their attention.</p><p> </p><p>"<strong>What was that?!</strong> I was talking about <em>myself</em>!"</p><p> </p><p>Panting slightly after relieving her stress and frustration, she glanced at the other three, staring back at her in shock. Lotte seemed uneasy, Sucy looked close to yawning and Akko…just sighed.</p><p> </p><p>"Geez, calm down. We know that, but you really should learn to take a joke...too much stress will give you wrinkles."</p><p> </p><p>Amanda felt her temper flare slightly, an old defense mechanism before she realized what had actually been said. Then she playfully punched Akko's arm and laughed while walking away. That was something Amanda often told her, and a certain blonde, in the past.</p><p> </p><p>"So, where is this party..?" Akko asked, picking up her previously dropped pillowcases and jogging slightly to catch up.</p><p> </p><p>Lotte shook her head and smiled softly at Sucy.</p><p> </p><p>"I suppose we have to join them at a party now, huh?"</p><p> </p><p>Sucy looked the same for the most part, only a slight eye twitch giving her annoyance at the sudden change of plans away. With a quick movement and in a rare display of affection, she grabbed Lotte's hand and looked away.</p><p> </p><p>'<em>Sucy...you're getting more used to being affectionate, aren't you?</em>'</p><p> </p><p>Lotte smiled happily after a quick gasp initially left her, but kept quiet beyond that. She was surprised to see her partner being so open, but if anyone truly loved Halloween, it was the quiet observer with the horned headband walking alongside her.</p><p> </p><p>Although not much of one for PDA, Sucy had a soft side to her rarely seen by the public. It was still crowded and noisy around them, and maybe it was only a precaution meant to ensure neither one got separated from the other, but Lotte wasn't about to call attention to the change and risk losing out on a treat like that. Sucy was normally so aloof and reserved, but possessed a sharp tongue and wit and was more observant than she led on. So she seemed almost unapproachable at times due to how cold and uncaring she came across, but underneath that tough exterior and short fuse, she was a softie and a sweetheart, loyal to the few that gained her trust and especially protective of the one who tamed her inner beast and won her affections.</p><p> </p><p>Lotte learned to read between the lines and pick up on subtle changes. She understood her best friend and life partner, and although they didn't agree on everything, she was also observant and could tell when to give space and that Sucy needed time to adjust to a relationship. Lotte didn't mind going at her partner's pace, as long as she was happy and loved, she would wait for as long as it took. Sucy was worth it, after all…</p><p> </p><p>"You're daydreaming again."</p><p> </p><p>Lotte blinked a couple times and mentally shook herself back to the present. Sucy had a slightly darker patch on her cheekbones as she spoke. Akko was rubbing off on her too much if that was the case.</p><p> </p><p>"And don't apologize again...I told you not to make a big deal out of it and you didn't do anything wrong to begin with."</p><p> </p><p>Lotte closed her mouth before she could complete her thought. After a whole year of dating, and many years before that of being friends, she had not changed enough for Sucy not to see when an apology was coming. Laughing nervously, Lotte nodded and they walked the rest of the way in silence. The same could not be said for the other two members, walking ahead of them and loudly arguing about something unrelated to that night's events. It was then that Lotte noticed a lack of pillowcases in Akko's hands.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh? What happened to those pillowcases you had earlier, Akko?”</p><p> </p><p>Akko stopped snickering at whatever joke she had going with Amanda and glanced back over her shoulder to the girl in question, a look of mild confusion on her face.</p><p> </p><p>“What do you mean? I handed it all out two minutes ago as we were walking...that's the second part of my duties as a member of the H.S.P.S., like I told you earlier..?”</p><p> </p><p>Lotte felt her cheeks burn brightly with shame and embarrassment (as Amanda proceeded to question the would-be guard on just how throwing candy up into the air as she skipped in a circle around a group of elementary school kids counted as 'handing it out'. Akko then predictably became defensive over her role for the night, and the rules involved clearly stating what the procedure was, with Sucy taking a jab in her own way by threatening to make the resident walking disaster into the world's first human piñata).</p><p> </p><p>She was normally so observant, how did she miss that? Was she really so distracted by her partner’s show of affection and lost in thought so deeply that she had lost track of her own surroundings? How shameful. She would have started down a dark path if not for the gentle squeeze of her hand just then and a knowing but subtle look from the one beside her. Lotte sighed and shook her head sadly, although the group’s self-appointed leader merely grinned at her before waving off her concern. After all, she knew all about how some people could be distracting, from personal experience and because she also had someone else like that.</p><p> </p><p>An elbow suddenly dug into her side and Akko yelped before glaring at the one responsible. Before she could yell and demand to know what that was for, Amanda nodded over to the front porch of their destination, the house they were a few feet from arriving at. Akko whipped her head in the direction that was pointed out and her jaw dropped further. Sitting there, on the swinging bench and staring up at the sky, was the very same person that she had hoped to see again. They hadn't met up since the past summer, during their second year at the Convention that had been responsible for their meeting, and Akko couldn't help but stare in awe.</p><p> </p><p>The familiar blonde hair, still as wavy and soft looking as she remembered, shone brightly in the moonlight and she was once again struck by how angelic and beautiful her crush was. It was obvious to everyone that saw the two of them together how much they cared for each other, but neither one had done or said anything about it yet. Amanda smirked at the brunette that seemed to have stalled, frozen by a sight and thoughts she was lost in completely and allowed her only a moment of that before she could no longer hold back a teasing comment.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re drooling…” she whispered into the other’s ear.</p><p> </p><p>Akko jumped and wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand, slightly mortified to find that she had indeed started to drool slightly. She growled softly and sent her red-haired friend a pointed look before being shoved forward. A small squeak left her as she stumbled forward and huffed, getting the message. Walking up the stairs, she was truly able to take in the blonde’s choice of costume for the evening and nearly stalled again. Coughing slightly, she gained the attention of her target and was rewarded by time seeming to slow down as the other girl looked over in her direction and a smile brighter than even the stars appeared on her face in response to the interruption.</p><p> </p><p>“Diana," Akko said breathlessly, "<em>you're here</em>."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nice weather we're having, isn't it? It would be a shame if something were to interrupt their reunion...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Not exactly how I wanted this chapter to go, and it's shorter than intended - but we all have that one chapter we wish had turned out better, do we not? I tried my best, and I just hope you all like it...but keep in mind, this was meant to be a fluffy, wholesome Halloween story. It was requested by a minor, so please keep that in mind. Not everyone wants the little witches we all know and love to be...heh. Don't lewd the witches near me, okay? *smiles but is clearly unhappy*</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>"Diana," </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Akko said breathlessly, "you're here."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>~ * ~</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Diana chuckled lightly at the other girl, clearly amused by the reaction she received.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, it would appear so."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Akko grinned widely, trying not to let the slightly pinker shade of her cheeks get any more out of control, because the sight of Diana, her good friend Diana, smiling at her like </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> was almost too much for the brunette to handle. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>'Wait...it wasn't actually because of me, but </span>
  </em>
  <span>wow</span>
  <em>
    <span>. She's even prettier when she smiles like that.'</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Akko was tearing up and trying to process that the one standing before her wasn't just some ghost or spirit or illusion on this very spooky night. She could cry, but Diana was giving her a look of mild curiosity and </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh no</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Akko was staring and she had been silent too long, better run that mouth of hers again. Because that never backfir--</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"BUT HOW??" Akko shouted, causing them both to flinch a tiny amount, before she could catch it, her mouth ran ahead of her brain and she mentally cursed her own bad luck.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Outwardly, she gulped, and waved her hands in front of her, panicking slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"N-n-not that that's a bad thing, r-really!! I'm just...surprised?? Y-yeah, but in a good way! Hannah had informed me that...you couldn't make it. So I kind of just, ahaha, I was thrown for a loop I suppose?"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Diana's eyes widened, ever so slightly, in shock.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>'She really </span>
  </em>
  <span>didn't</span>
  <em>
    <span> know...Whatever you managed to do to convince her, it worked. But she seems rather saddened now?'</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"We haven't seen each other in </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> long, I was worried that you let your schoolwork pile up and consume you like some giant, ravenous paper beast! CHOMP!"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The fact that she had a mock pose that oddly resembled a lion about to pounce to accompany that statement caught the blonde off guard for just a moment, but Akko was just being Akko and Diana couldn't help but laugh at how cute and childish the highly exaggerated idea was to her. Akko leaned back and smiled, glad to be lucky enough to hear a reaction like that from her.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Amanda, Lotte and Sucy had varying degrees of annoyance and concern over how quickly they were forgotten, and decided to go inside before a full-on make out session started before their eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Scoffing, Amanda put an arm around Akko's shoulder and whispered a secret message into her ear, then quickly dodged a punch to the face from the now radioactive-tomato-shade-of-red brunette.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"We're not doing that, tonight or ever, you dang perv! Get your head out of the gutter. Or better yet, go tell that to those two lapdogs you follow everywhere! I'm sure they'd love to hear you say that to them!!"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Amanda had moved to walk inside, laughing at whatever inside joke had just occurred while Akko glared after her. Lotte smiled sympathetically at her, Sucy nodded but then she and Diana were completely alone. On the balcony. Under the darkening night sky…</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>'Oh no...Diana!!'</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Akko whipped her head back around so fast she felt a sting of whiplash and fell down to a squatting position, holding her neck and quietly muttering curses to herself in Japanese. Some habits just never go away, and Diana knelt down next to her, a hand hesitantly resting on the other's shoulder and she waited for those familiar yet hauntingly bright red eyes to look up at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>'She's so close!!'</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Akko was having a slight panic attack at the sudden invasion of her personal space and nearly missed the question being raised.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, what was that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Diana frowned in concern, but quietly repeated herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“I asked if you’re quite all right, it looked as if you hurt yourself again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Akko just stared, her mouth open slightly and her nose twitched, not unlike a rabbit . She blinked a couple times, then nodded slowly, wanting to reassure Diana that the pain was already gone. And the sooner Diana was reassured, the quicker her heart could return to a normal pace and stop feeling as if it was in overdrive.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>They both stood up, the blonde watching her carefully as she did so, before handing her back her hat. Which was odd, because Akko hadn’t even noticed it flew off of her head with the sudden movement. Taking a step back to give herself some breathing room, she muttered a quick word of gratitude before finally noticing that Diana was in a vaguely familiar but hard to place outfit.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>It looked rather out of place for the modern day. Long, brown coat over a pair of brown pants and a couple layers of shirts and a tie and what the heck was she even wearing and did she really not know the effect she’d have on people in that sort of costume?? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Diana was wearing an old-timey version of a suit!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, Diana, who are you supposed to be dressed up as?”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Diana seemed mildly surprised at the sudden shift in the conversation, but glanced down at her outfit for the night and blinked slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>‘Ah, of course. She doesn’t know the character. She has that problem with reading novels without pictures in them…’</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not the only one who seemed unable to recognize a character from classic literature, dear Akko. Yet, perhaps you’ll understand upon hearing his name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Akko flinched at the implication that she never read books, but it wasn't entirely her fault. Most were just so dry and boring and tedious to get through. Manga and fanfiction tended to be far more exciting, when she had the free time to catch up on updates. Besides, she only read textbooks because she was forced into it. It confused her how anyone could choose to read </span>
  <b>for fun</b>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Diana had noticed that her good friend seemed to be drifting and sighed softly as she waited for the short-attention span of the girl to return to her. The sigh was apparently enough and Diana suppressed a smile at how the girl that was seemingly her opposite in so many ways could have such an effect on her. Diana wouldn’t speak her true feelings anytime soon, but she was content simply to be around the hyperactive goofball. Being her friend was enough, for the time being. But if she should ever get a sign that her feelings may yet be returned…</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>'No, even if she is openly affectionate with her friends, there's no guarantee that Akko would ever look at other girls that way. That she'd ever look at…'</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Unlike her friend, the blonde in a suit was much better at multitasking and smiled softly. She knew what to expect by now, and took a step back to retrieve her outfits' prop, and prepared for the expected reaction after she revealed the answer. Holding up the magnifying glass and winking at the now confused expression on her friend's face, she smirked and said just a few words.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm Sherlock Holmes, my dear fellow…"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>A short pause as the information passed over to the other's ears, entered her ear canals, nearly left out the other side but did a double take and backtracked instead to escape her mouth in the form of a surprised shout that was so typically Akko, her friends could feel it coming and brace themselves for it. The telltale signs were always written on her face, even if she herself could not be made aware of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's...but you...he, I mean..!"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>A short yet unintelligible muttering session followed this announcement and Diana actually giggled at her but Akko couldn't bring herself to even be mad about it. The outfit was so obvious now, and of course Diana would choose one like that - out of all the choices in the world, she would be the one to use a boring, historical figure from a book.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"That figure happens to be one of my favorites, actually."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>A dramatic gasp left the brunette's mouth before she slapped her hands over it, trying to prevent anything else from leaving her mind without her own consent. It was a bad habit, and she stared in a slightly fearful way at the well dressed friend standing so confidently in front of her. After glancing her over yet again, the traitorous yet tiny voice in the back of her mind awoke from a deep slumber and muttered a secret that had the fake security guard turn pale and resemble a ghost. Unconsciously reaching for her belt, as if to double check what lay there with her own choice of clothing, she felt a droplet of sweat run down her face and sighed in relief at the results. During this whole inner debate, Diana have her a look of mild interest, and Akko was glad that telepathy wasn't a thing in their world...no one needed to know what just crossed her mind, but it would have given Amanda (the villainous and perverted catgirl that she was) a field day, so she </span>
  <b>definitely</b>
  <span> never needed to know.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Laughing nervously to herself, neither one of them had noticed the increasingly darkening and overcast sky until a flash of light shone in the background, followed by a very nearby and loud crack of thunder that shook the windows of the house across the street. Yelping and flinching at the noise, Akko instinctively covered her head with her arms and screwed her eyes shut. That was way too close, and how it had snuck up on them, neither could say.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The front door was flung open and the heads of a certain noirette and redhead poked out to look worriedly over at them both.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Diana, there you are!"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's a storm coming, in case you hadn't noticed! Please, hurry inside!"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Diana sighed. She grabbed one of Akko's hands, who had jumped at the sound of the two lapdogs' voices but remained just as frozen when another flash of lightning was crackling immediately after the warning, and they were ushered inside to find that the music had been turned down until they were brought safely indoors.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>'So much for having a moment of peace and quiet with her, away from everyone. By the nine, this must surely be a sign...'</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Diana allowed a quick frown to show, before nodding to the back of the house at her other two best friends, and they nodded back. Akko was dragged back to one of the off-limit bedrooms and was grateful to be away from so much noise and so many onlookers. The party returned to a normal, far too loud state as it was packed and not even a sudden storm would stop people from wanting to party on a Halloween night. Akko sat down on the bed, barely registering the Nightfall inspired bed sheets, and slowly relaxed her tense muscles as she focused on her breathing.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"I take it you're not good with thunderstorms?"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>A few moments of silence had passed by, and Akko was startled by how Diana had broken the silence that had surrounded them, previously broken only by the rain that lingered as the storm started to calm itself and pass them by. Akko looked down in shame and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not great with them. Or most sudden, loud noises."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Diana smiled at her, sadly, before crossing the room and sitting on the edge of the bed. She meant to keep a respectable, appropriate distance but Akko leaned to the side and rested against her. Going rigid at the unexpected contact, it took a moment for the blonde to adjust and relax herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank you, Diana."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>The simple, three word sentence was uttered so quietly, Diana almost didn't catch it.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"For what?"</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Akko nuzzled into her shoulder, attempting to hide her reddening cheeks from view, but the intense heat was preventing her from being successful at this. She groaned, knowing that the blonde didn't pick up on hints very well, and that she'd have to say it bluntly.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>"For everything. Coming out here tonight, being here now...for existing."</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>That last comment was enough to make most people stare at her as if she were crazy, but thankfully, Diana wasn't like most people. So a slight chuckle left the blonde, and she rubbed circles on the shorter girls' back, hoping it would be comforting but made a noise of acknowledgment without voicing just how odd her way of phrasing that thought had been.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat in a more comfortable silence as Akko calmed down and when she was ready, she pulled back and smiled hesitantly at her friend. She opened her mouth to say something when the lamp shut off, and the sounds of whatever music had been playing in the house cut out and were replaced by screams. This alerted both of them and they exchanged a quick glance at each other before rushing to the door to find out what had happened in the rest of the house.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>They were greeted with an intense darkness, and mass panic. People were screaming, some crying, others rushing around and looking for the front door, for their friends, all wanting an answer to the one question that was collectively running through their minds.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <b>
    <em>What happened to the lights?</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone finally managed to find the front door and flung it open, people crying in relief and poured outside, even if it was still raining out. Compared to the panic that had spread at the sudden darkness of the indoors, and the loss of loud, thumping music - the new aura was light, people were cheering and laughing and running through the grass and generally getting over the shock of how silly they had collectively been.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>Meanwhile, Diana was suspicious and she was about to investigate when she felt a tug on her jacket. Looking over her shoulder, her frown softened into a ghost of a smile and she looked forward again and walked slowly. She was, of course, used to the house that her best friends now rented together. But Akko hadn’t been there as of yet and she wouldn't know the layout, since this was her first time over. Diana silently led her back up the hallway and as she kept a hand on the wall for guidance, she was distracted by a barrier she hadn't been expecting. Before she could react, however, an unfortunate incident occurred much faster than even her reflexes could keep up with.</span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>
    <br/>
  </span>
  <span>With a yelp, Akko had joined her in a heap on the floor and as they were groaning at their simultaneous and unplanned meeting with the floor, working on a way to disentangle their limbs from each other, they froze just as quickly by the one sound other than their breathing that rang out much louder than the thunder had in the silence of this new predicament.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>
    <em>CLICK</em>
  </b>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>First glancing at each other, and then back at where the door was assumed to be, the now awkward silence was deafening. It appeared to be as if they now found themselves in a pile on the floor...of a hallway closet...and the door had just shut behind them.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was requested by my good buddy, Ky. And she's a minor, you cursed fans. Please be respectful of this fact. I know it's late, I really do struggle with writing at all, but if it helped anyone smile, even a little, I will be content with that. Thank you, as always, for reading! See you next time! (If anyone wants to know what the character's I have not specifically mentioned are dressed up as, feel free to ask. I ran out of time and energy to include it)</p><p>Only other note right now, is that there should only be one, or at most, two more chapters to this! It was designed to be a short story, so we're almost there! And then, on to Part 3 at last! (I am really excited for the final chapter of this, haha)</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please read, review, give kudos or hugs, and I hope to see everyone in a future chapter..!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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